President of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ITO) Şekip Avdagiç has triggered a wave of criticism after suggesting the government should introduce policies to limit Turkish citizens’ spending on vacations abroad.
He had previously been at the center of criticism for his role in advocating higher taxes on purchases from foreign online platforms such as Temu.
Avdagiç said authorities need to “develop policies” to ensure that a larger share of tourism expenditures remains within Turkey. He made the remarks during the opening of the Tourism Investment Forum, arguing that outbound spending is rising faster than tourism revenues flowing into the country.
While Turkey’s tourism income increased by $3.5 billion last year, Avdagiç noted that spending by Turkish citizens overseas grew at an even quicker pace, narrowing the gap between inflows and outflows. “I think we need to develop our policies to keep a portion of the tourism expenditures of Turkish citizens within the country,” he said.
BACKLASH AND EXIT TAX SPECULATION
The comments quickly went viral on social media, prompting accusations that Avdagiç was advocating restrictive measures on personal travel.
“He will probably bring a travel ban next,” one user wrote, while others suggested the proposal reflects frustration over the growing number of Turks seeking holidays abroad despite difficulties in securing European visas.
Avdagiç acknowledged the visa challenges but insisted the trend in foreign spending remains strong.
The latest controversy follows Avdagiç’s high-profile campaign against foreign e-commerce platforms.
He was among the first prominent business figures to call for higher taxes on purchases from the Chinese shopping site Temu. Shortly afterward, the government imposed a 60% tax on individual overseas purchases under 30 euros as of February 1, 2026 — a move Avdagiç welcomed as “good news.”
However, Temu later adjusted its strategy by establishing a local entity, WhaleCo, to operate as an official importer in Turkey. By shifting from direct-to-consumer shipments to bulk commercial imports, the company reportedly reduced its effective tax burden to between 5% and 20%, significantly undercutting the original restriction.
